cockpit suddenly filled with steam

[frank j. bauer]

http://www.audifans.com/archives/1997/08/msg02239.html

Cody Forbes wrote:
> 1) Replacing the heater core does **NOT** require removing the dash. It's a
> time consuming job, but easily done in a lazy day.
> 
> 2) It is favorable to connect the two hoses together. They are only inches
> away from each other on the engine.  They are both connected to the engine
> in the area near the rear of the cylinder head on top of the transmission
> bell housing.
> 
> http://jcforbes.com/jcfpics/engineinstall/P4300042?full=1 - This picture
> shows both connections. One is a metal pipe extending rearward of the engine
> out sort of by itself, the other has a rubber hose on it about 5" long and
> is just below the cylinder head. The other end of that short rubber hose
> will have the heater valve connected to it.
> 
> -Cody
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bill Pirkle [mailto:bpirkle at zipcon.net] 
> Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2012 9:47 PM
> To: audi at humanspeakers.com
> Cc: 'John Cody Forbes'; quattro at audifans.com; w-t_audifans at yahoogroups.com;
> audi_owners_usa at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: cockpit suddenly filled with steam
> 
> To replace the heater core I will have to remove the dash. Big hassle. I
> have decided to shut off the heater.
> 
> There is a hose out of the engine that goes through a thermostat and into
> the cockpit. That sends hot water into the heater core. I plan to plug that
> hose.
> 
> But there must be a hose coming back to the engine so I will have to plug
> that one also.
> 
> The question is is there something that I am missing? The car is an 85 Audi
> 5000.
> 
> Bill Pirkle   KE7JIA
> "When ideas fail, words come in handy"
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Huw Powell" <audi at humanspeakers.com>
> To: "Bill Pirkle" <bpirkle at zipcon.net>
> Cc: "'John Cody Forbes'" <cody at 5000tq.com>; <quattro at audifans.com>;
> <w-t_audifans at yahoogroups.com>; <audi_owners_usa at yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Monday, August 13, 2012 6:16 PM
> Subject: Re: cockpit suddenly filled with steam
> 
> 
>> 1. The heater core let go.  You may be in for quite a few new cooling 
>> system components.
>>
>> 2.  Leaking brake fluid?  A car with a brake fluid leak is not safe to 
>> drive.  You need to find the leak(s) and repair.  Are you sure it's 
>> brake fluid and not something else you are topping up?
>>
>> Year and model?
>>
>> On 8/13/2012 8:37 PM, Bill Pirkle wrote:
>>> Scared the hell out of me.
>>>
>>> I noticed that the engine was running hot. Needle was about 3/4 over 
>>> toward hot.
>>>
>>> Started back home and about 4 blocks from home the cockpit suddenly 
>>> filled with steam. Seemed to be coming form the heating ducks. It 
>>> only took a second and I couldn't even see the steering wheel.
>>>
>>> I finally got home and the reservoir was empty. That accounts for the 
>>> hot engine.
>>>
>>> But where did the steam come from?
>>>
>>> I looked around but all the hoses seemed to be connected.
>>>
>>> Any ideas?
>>>
>>> Also there is a dark spot on the driveway and I have to add brake 
>>> fluid to the engine. Thus the break fluid is leaking. Any ideas where 
>>> the leak probably is?
>>>
>>> Bill Pirkle   KE7JIA
>>> "When ideas fail, words come in handy"